One Alone in the World is all too relevant in a modern society, and any working parent will empathise with the mistakes Richard and Maria make and the guilt of juggling different aspects of their lives less than successfully. It’s beautifully written, connects deeply with our own struggles to ‘do the right thing’ and makes us realise that we can’t be all things to all people. If you’ve read the first two books in the trilogy, you’ll already have fallen in love with Richard and Maria and be rooting for them to fulfil their dreams, now you will root for Eleanor as well. It’s a great trilogy, and if you like romantic suspense with real-life dramas and without the ‘steamy’ side, this one is for you.

This is the third and final book in the series. What I like about the series has been the way the author has told a story about everyday experiences, to which we can all relate. This is especially true if you are a busy parent. And I don't know any parents that aren't busy. It is a clean romance with our main characters facing a variety of challenges but for me that just makes it representative of real life. Well written and a satisfying conclusion to the series.

In this, the final part of the trilogy we get to see how seemingly normal family life is so much more below the surface. After all, Richard a talented singer, his pretty young wife Maria and their daughter Eleanor living over their own pub—they should be happy with their lot; right? Sadly life isn’t about what the outside world sees, it’s about the nitty-gritty, the real lives and worries.
In this tale, we don’t find the body count of a Rambo movie or the violence of Tarantino but we are treated to mystery, intrigue and suspense in an environment which might be that family just around the corner. Money worries, marital relationships and the natural needs of a trusting but lonely young daughter cause the stakes to be taken up a level as the family unit begins to unravel under the pressures.
We find a healthy mix of the usual ingredients; life, death, love, hate, loyalty, deceit, blackmail, kidnap … and a dog, of course. Good characterisation, dialogue and imagery laced throughout a believable and sustained plot make this a superb summary for the trilogy.

“One Alone in the World” is the third book in the “Richard and Maria” trilogy; and like the two before it, it is filled with intrigue, suspense, and... cooking!

Now the owners of The White Hart, a popular night club and eatery and the parents of a gifted seven year old daughter Eleanor, Richard and Maria’s world is still under the shadow of internal and external drama.

While reading, the old Meatloaf song “Objects in the Rear View Mirror are Closer Than They Appear” kept coming to mind. For the couple, the events of the past, people from the past, and their own past inner conflicts continually come up from behind to wreck havoc on what should be a successful happy life.

And in a majestic example of self abhorrence, one of the characters learns they are now wealthy and instead of doing hand stands and high fives, they find reason to not only be upset but angry about it!!

Sarah Stuart handles all the drama with a prose that is flowing and appropriately dynamic. Even through two time jumps, we are never left behind by the story thanks to her mastery of its telling.

Recommended!!

Having followed the story of Richard and Maria from its beginning, in book one of this captivating trilogy, I was delighted to see where the author took it in the final book, One Alone in the World. The focus now shifts to include their daughter Eleanor, who has her own inner and outer journey to pursue – much like that of her parents’ in her numerous misperceptions and anxieties. Sarah Stuart describes well the emotional pitfalls in modern relationships – the broken links and misunderstandings, the longing for genuine connection, especially when it comes to parents and children. Richard and Maria are painfully recognisable in their struggle to connect with each other as well as their daughter, and to reach a compromise that suits everyone as they continue their busy lives. The characters are engaging, the plot is absorbing, and this book brings about a satisfying resolution to the trilogy. It’s compelling reading, and another unmissable novel from this author.